Discovery Could Lead To Super Memory Pill

HUFFINGTONPOST.COM - Imagine the horror of a failing memory: you can't remember your
children's names, where you live, or what year it is. But what if a pill
could instantly restore your memory?

While the idea may seem like something out of science fiction, new
research out of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, suggests it
could soon be a reality, the Vancouver Sun reported.

The study, led by neuroscientist Mauro Costa-Mattioli, discovered
that suppressing a molecule called PKR in mice brains improved the
rodents memory function.

According to the Vancouver Sun, Costa-Mattioli said that
when PKR is "genetically surpressed" in the mice, the immune molecule
known as gamma interferon increases communication between neurons,
improving memory and brain function.

"For instance, when the authors assessed spatial memory (the
memory for people, places and events) through a test in which mice use
visual cues for finding a hidden platform in a circular pool, they found
that normal mice had to repeat the task multiple times over many days
in order to remember the platform's location. By contrast, mice lacking
PKR learned the task after only one training session."

Even more exciting is the team's discovery that the process could be
"mimicked" by a PKR inhibitor, essentially creating a "memory-enhancing
drug."

"It is indeed quite amazing that we can also enhance both memory and
brain activity with a drug that specifically targets PKR,"
Costa-Mattioli said, according to the ScienceDaily report. She added
that the next step is translate the improved brain function in mice to
humans suffering from memory loss.

The discovery comes after a similar break through in July
in which scientists found that by lowering levels of a brain chemical
called cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) the nerve connections in
monkeys' prefrontal cortexes were strengthened, which reverses memory
loss.

After working with monkeys from three different age groups,
researchers found that the brain cells of older monkeys were able to
hold signals better and "fire" just like those of younger monkeys.

A man, claiming to be "the spawn of Lucifer," said he stabbed an eight-year-old boy because he "felt like he had to kill a child" and that it was "almost like a sacrifice." 30-year-old Bruce Derek Landahl was arrested Saturday for allegedly entering the HiCo store on Sprague, walking up to an eight-year-old boy playing on an iPad and stabbing him multiple times before the boy's father was able to stop him.

A man, claiming to be "the spawn of Lucifer," said he stabbed an eight-year-old boy because he "felt like he had to kill a child" and that it was "almost like a sacrifice." 30-year-old Bruce Derek Landahl was arrested Saturday for allegedly entering the HiCo store on Sprague, walking up to an eight-year-old boy playing on an iPad and stabbing him multiple times before the boy's father was able to stop him.

JBS USA has recalled nearly 100,000 pounds of ground beef due to concerns about possible e-coli contamination. The products have the establishment number Est.628 and were produced on October 24th. Products that were recalled were shipped to distributors in retail locations in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

JBS USA has recalled nearly 100,000 pounds of ground beef due to concerns about possible e-coli contamination. The products have the establishment number Est.628 and were produced on October 24th. Products that were recalled were shipped to distributors in retail locations in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

TRENTON, N.J. - An attorney for a woman charged with scamming GoFundMe donors with a story about a homeless veteran says she was duped by her former boyfriend. James Gerrow tells ABC's "Good Morning America" that Mark D'Amico was "calling the shots." Gerrow says Katelyn McClure thought she was helping Marine vet Johnny Bobbitt.

TRENTON, N.J. - An attorney for a woman charged with scamming GoFundMe donors with a story about a homeless veteran says she was duped by her former boyfriend. James Gerrow tells ABC's "Good Morning America" that Mark D'Amico was "calling the shots." Gerrow says Katelyn McClure thought she was helping Marine vet Johnny Bobbitt.

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - A 30-year-old male is facing attempted murder charges after stabbing an eight-year-old boy at a HiCo store in Spokane Valley Saturday night. Around 4:30 p.m, Spokane Valley Deputies responded to a call of two males fighting along with the reported stabbing.

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. - A 30-year-old male is facing attempted murder charges after stabbing an eight-year-old boy at a HiCo store in Spokane Valley Saturday night. Around 4:30 p.m, Spokane Valley Deputies responded to a call of two males fighting along with the reported stabbing.

Several locals are trying to help the family of an eight-year-old boy, who was randomly stabbed at a gas station Saturday. Rayel Von Quade said she and three others (Salem Rose Sovereign, Quincey Brooks and Dani Loup) have been in touch with the Bush family. (KHQ has reached out to the family and have not heard back.) "They're, of course, very overwhelmed and stressed out right now and she's been dealing with a lot of messages from a lot of people coming through. But she says t...

Several locals are trying to help the family of an eight-year-old boy, who was randomly stabbed at a gas station Saturday. Rayel Von Quade said she and three others (Salem Rose Sovereign, Quincey Brooks and Dani Loup) have been in touch with the Bush family. (KHQ has reached out to the family and have not heard back.) "They're, of course, very overwhelmed and stressed out right now and she's been dealing with a lot of messages from a lot of people coming through. But she says t...